Pastry making machine

ABSTRACT

This machine relates to a machine for forming edible folded danish pastry to replace the manual preparation thereof. The machine uses a continuous sheet of pastry and first molds a transverse row having a plurality of edible filling receiving pockets; next the pockets are cut into blanks; then edible filling is deposited onto the blanks; then the corners of the blanks are consecutively folded over one another according to predetermined configuration and lastly the folded pastry is lifted up for removal from the machine. The plurality of operating stations are each cam operated from a chain of precalculated gear diameters to effect a timed vertical up and down reciprocity for intermittent operation. The machine comprises a chain conveyor having a plurality of substantially identical transverse slats. Each slat is adapted to receive a removable multi-celled cage. Moreover, each slat is provided with a plurality of different diameter apertures. Some of the apertures are adapted to receive machine operated push rods to effect reciprocal engagement with spring-loaded folder elements disposed above the slat. Other slat apertures are oriented to receive frictionally the prongs of the removable folder units and also the prongs of the separately removable lifter units. Therefore, the pastry contacting units and cage are removable from the machine of this invention, so that they may be sterilized.

United States Patent 1 Schafer Apr. 3, 1973 [s41 PASTRY MAKING MACHINE [76] Inventor: Leonard Schafer, 2 770 Briggs Avenue, New York,' N.Y. 10460 22 Filed: June 10, 1971' [21] Appl. No.: 151,835

[52] 1 US. Cl. ..99/450.6

[51] Int. Cl ..A2lc 3/06,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,277,845 10/1966 Poppe et a1 ..99/450.6 3,299,835 1/1967 Marsili ..99/450.2 3,344,754 10/1967 Artiaga et al ..99/450.2

Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Arthur 0. Henderson Attorney-Frank Makara [57] ABSTRACT This machine relates to a machine for forming edible folded danish pastry to replace the manual preparation thereof. The machine uses a continuous sheet of pastry and first molds a transverse row having a plurality of edible filling receiving pockets; next the pockets are cut into blanks; then edible filling is deposited onto the blanks; then the corners of the blanks are consecutively folded over one another according to predetermined configuration and lastly the folded pastry is lifted up for removal from the machine. The plurality of operating stations are each cam operated from a chain of precalculated gear diameters to effect a timed vertical up and down reciprocity for intermittent operation. The machine comprises a chain conveyor having aplurality of substantially identical transverse slats. Each slat is adapted to receive a removable multi-celled cage. Moreover, each slat is provided with a plurality of different diameter apertures. Some of the apertures are adapted to receive machine operated push rods to effect reciprocal engagement with spring-loaded folder elements disposed above the slat. Other slat apertures are oriented to receive frictionally the prongs of the removable folder units and also the, prongs of the separately removable lifter units. Therefore, the pastry contacting units and cage are removable from the machine of this invention, so that they may be sterilized.

6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APR 3 I975 SHEET 1 OF 3 PATENIEBAPM I973 3,724,361

SHEET 3 OF 3 m GI v Xmm THERMAL INDICATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to thermal indicators and more particularly to a thermal indicator particularly suited for use in practicing culinary arts.

In practicing culinary arts, particularly in cooking certain articles of food, difficulty often is encountered in monitoring temperatures thereby attained. In the event that the articles of food are insufficiently heated, the quality of the articles often is impaired and, similarly, where the articles are overheated, the impairment of quality is experienced. Consequently, various types of thermal indicators have been provided for use in monitoring temperatures during preparation of various types of food. Among such indicators are those which employ fusible pellets, spring-loaded pins and the like. Representative of devices currently employed are those shown in US. Letters Pat. Nos. 3,280,629, 3,140,611 and 3,479,876.

While the patented devices function quite satisfactorily for their intended purposes, a need exists for a practical and even more economical thermal indicator which readily can be employed for monitoring temperatures attained during the preparation of articles of food and the like.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide an improved thermal indicator for monitoring temperatures imparted to a mass being heated.

It is another object to provide an improved thermal indicator for use in practicing culinary arts.

It is another object to provide a practical and economic self-destructing thermal indicator for use in the preparation of food for human consumption.

It is another object to provide an improved, economical and practical thermal indicator which is insertable into an article of food, prior to its being heated, for purposes of providing an indication of a selected temperature change achieved by the article.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved through the use of a tubular body including a closed end containing therein a first substance having a predetermined boiling point, and an opened end sealed by a second substance having a predetermined melting point substantially below the boiling point of the first substance so that as the first substance is boiled-off the sealant is ejected from the tube and deposited about the tubes opened end for thus indicating the presence of a selected temperature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting an article of food having deposited therein a thermal indicator of the type embodying the principles of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of an indicator of the type illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmented perspective view illustrating the thermal indicator of FIGS. 1 and 2 in an operative mode.

FIG. 4 is a sectioned fragmentary view of a modification of the indicator illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectioned fragmentary view of a modified lower portion of the indicator shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. a thermal indicator, generally designated 10, seated in an article of food 12. As illustrated, the article 12 is an uncooked pastry confined for baking within a baking pan 14. Preferably, in practice, the thermal indicator 10 is inserted into a given article prior to its being heated, however, it is to be understood that, where so desired, the thermal indicator 10 can be inserted into an article 12 subsequent to its being heated.

As shown in FIG. 2, the indicator 10 includes a tubular glass body 16 having a closed, tapered end portion 18 and an open discharge end portion 20 having a discharge opening 21 formed therein. As a practical matter, the body 16 can be fabricated from any suitable material, including various synthetic resins which are both economic to fabricate into appropriate shapes and can readily withstand temperatures encountered in heating the articles to practical temperatures.

Within the closed end portion 18 there is deposited a volatile fluid 22. This fluid has a boiling point approximating the temperature to which a selected article 12 is to be heated. As a practical matter, numerous types of fluids 22 can be employed for providing a large range of operational temperatures for the indicator 10. This range is exemplified by the following chart:

Fluid Boiling Point Water 100 C. Ethanol depending on dilutions 78.5l00 C.

and Water Isovaleraldehyde 9293 C. Ethyl Acetate 77 C. Ethyl Acetate Azeotrope C. 6.1% Water Methyl Acetate 5 8 C. Ethyl Formate 53' C.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the fluid 22 is retained within the closed end portion 18 of the body 16 by means of a sealant 24 which substantially fills the body 16 and closes the opening 21. Preferably, the sealant 24 is in its solid state at room temperatures and has a melting point substantially below the boiling point of the fluid 22 so that it can be melted and subsequently ejected as a boiling of the fluid 22 occurs and a series of bubbles is passed therethrough. In practice, pigmented paraffin, having a melting point of 47 to 65 C., serves quite satisfactorily for this purpose. Pigmentation of the sealant 24 is employed for accommodating a ready recognition thereof.

In order to assure that boiling of the liquid 22 is initiated at its prescribed boiling point, for thus assuring that an orderly, non-violent discharge from the opening 21 of the sealant 24 is, in operation, achieved, the end portion 18 of the body 16 is provided with a nucleation site 25. The nucleation site is, in effect, a concentric bore which, when the fluid 22 is heated to its boiling point, acts to initiate bubbling of the resulting vapor in a manner consistent with the principles of nucleate boiling.

About the open end 20 of the body 16 there is a flotationcollar 26. The collar 26 has a diameter sufficient for operatively supporting the body 16 as well as through 3. However, it is to be understood that the 001- lar 26 can be provided as a receiver, designated 26 which can be fabricated as a unitary portion of the body 16, FIG. 4, and provided with an annular lip 28 so that the flotation collar 26 also is permitted to serve as a retainer for the sealant 24 as it is ejected from the opening2l.

In order to employ the thermal indicator 10, the body 16 is inserted vertically into the article 12 with the opening 21 being externally oriented and the receiver 26 being seated on the upper surface of the article. The article subsequently is deposited in an associated relationship with an oven, or other heating device, for purposes of transferring heat thereto and thus elevating the temperature of the article. As the article 12 is heated to the boiling point of the liquid 22, heat is transferred to the sealant 24 so that the sealant is changed to its liquid state. Continued heating of the article 12, to the temperature at which nucleate boiling of the fluid occurs, causes the small bubbles to flow from the nucleation site 25 and penetrate the liquid sealant 24 and ultimately pass through the discharge opening 21 of the body 16. As heating of the article 12 continues, the boiling of the fluid 22 becomes more vigorous, whereupon larger bubbles of the resulting vapor penetrate and effect an erupting ejection of the liquid sealant 24 from the body 16. As the sealant is ejected, it is deposited on the surface collar 26. Due to the pigmentation of the sealant 24, its deposit readily is detected. Once a predetermined quantity of the sealant in its fluid state has been ejected from the opening 21 of the body 16, heating of the article 12 can safely be terminated with the knowledge that the article 12 has been properly heated.

In view of the foregoing, it readily should be apparent that the instant invention is embodied in a practical, economic and efficient device which has particular utility, in thepreparation of food, as a thermal indicator.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative details disclosed.

Having described out invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a thermal indicator for providing an indication of a heated condition for an article of food when the article is heated to a predetermined temperature, the improvement comprising:

A. a tubular body having an opened end and a closed end, said body being configured for facilitating an insertion of said closed end into an article of food to be heated; and

B. a volatile substance deposited within said body and having a boiling point at substantially the temperature to which the article is to be heated, whereby boiling of the substance within the body is experienced when the article is heated to said predetermined temperature.

2. A thermal indicator for providing an indication of a heated condition for an article of food, when the article is heated to a predetermined temperature comprismg:

A. a tubular body having an opened end and a closed end, said body being configured for facilitating an insertion thereof into an article of food to be heated;

B. a volatile substance deposited within said body and having a normal boiling point at substantially the temperature to which said article is to be heated;

C. a pigmented, fusible sealant substantially sealing the opened end of said body, having a melting point above room temperature and below the boil-,

ing point of said volatile substance, for confining the substance within said tubular body at room temperatures and to be expelled from said body by said volatile substance in response to a boiling thereof; and

D. a collar circumscribing said body adjacent to the open end thereof for receiving thereon said sealant as it is expelled from said body, for thereby providing an indication of a heated condition for said article.

3. The indicator of claim 2 wherein said volatile substance includes an aqueous solution of ethyl alcohol.

4. The indicator of claim 2 wherein the sealant is a mixture of paraffin and a selected pigment.

5. A temperature responsive indicator adapted to be inserted into a mass to be subjected to temperatures above room temperature comprising:

A. a tubular body having a closed end to be inserted in said mass and an opened end to be disposed externally of the mass;

B. a volatile substance deposited .within said tube having a boilingpoint at a preselected temperature;

C. a sealant closing the opened end of said tube at room temperature, having a melting point above room temperature and below the boiling point of said volatile substance, to be discharged from said body in response to a boiling of said substance when the mass is heated to said preselected temperature; and

D. an external annular collar concentrically supported by said tubular body for receiving said sealant as it is discharged from said body for thereby providing an indication of the temperature of said mass when the mass is heated to said preselected temperature.

6. The indicator of claim 5 wherein the closed end of the tube is provided with means defining a recess forming a nucleation site, for initiating boiling of said substance when the mass is heated to the boiling point of the substance.

7. The indicator of claim 6 wherein said volatile substance is selected from a class of substances having a boiling point within a range extending between 53 and C. the sealant has a melting point between 47 and 65 C.

conveyor of suitably apertured slats disposed between said beams; a plurality of spaced-apart cam operated reciprocator bar means for actuating individual operations performed on said pastry sheet disposed on the opposed sides 'of said frame; motor-gear train means suitably gear ratioed and camed for intermittently actuating said conveyor and said reciprocator bar means in pre-determined timed relationship and pawl means engaging said motor-gear means for advancing said conveyor intermittently for operation of said reciprocator bar means whereby a sheet of pastry is cut into discrete pastry blanks, provided with edible filling,folded at its corners, and lifted for removal from the machine.

2. The pastry machine of claim 1 wherein said spaced-apart reciprocator bar means comprise in substantial sequence a molding-cutting reciprocator means; an edible filling depositing reciprocator means; a pastry corner folding reciprocator means; a tamping reciprocator means a lifter reciprocator means and reset of lifter reciprocator means.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said moldingcutting reciprocator means consist substantially of a pair of reciprocator bars disposed on opposedsides of said frame and cam actuated from the axle of a suitable gear; box means secured to the top of said bars and having transverse rows of cavity molding hemispherical protuberances and having also an air pressure chamber sealed at its under surface with a resilient plastic plate whereby said pastry sheet is molded and pressure cut into discrete pastry blanks.

4. The machine of claim 2 wherein said cam operated corner folding reciprocator means consists essentially of a pair of grooved cams engaging the opposed ends of an axle of a suitable gear of said gear train; a reciprocator bar disposed on each side of said conveyor and having a fixed cam follower therein engaging a respective cam on said axle; a support plate disposed between said bars and having a plurality of transverse rows of critically located upright push rods fixed thereon for operation through suitable co-acting apertures of a pair of adjacent slats while stationary whereby said push rods engage slidingly spring-loaded folding wings of folding units to produce over-lapped folding of the pastry corners engaged.

5. The machine of claim 4 comprising plate means fixed to said push rod plate in suitable spaced relationship whereby said plate means lifts simultaneously already folded pastry in the folding operation of said cornets.

6. The machine of claim 5 comprising a transverse re-set plate secured exterior of said chain conveyor adjacent to the bottom ends of said opposing folding unit reciprocator bars,said re-set plate having a plurality of upright suitably disposed pins fixed thereto and adapted to engage the lifted lifter plates to re-set them simultaneously with the operation of said folding-lifter unit. 

1. A pastry making machine for changing an edible pastry sheet into discrete units of folded filled pastry ready for baking comprising a horizontal frame having spaced-apart support beams; a continuous chain-type conveyor of suitably apertured slats disposed between said beams; a plurality of spaced-apart cam operated reciprocator bar means for actuating individual operations performed on said pastry sheet disposed on the opposed sides of said frame; motor-gear train means suitably gear ratioed and camed for intermittently actuating said conveyor and said reciprocator bar means in pre-determined timed relationship ; and pawl means engaging said motor-gear means for advancing said conveyor intermittently for operation of said reciprocator bar means whereby a sheet of pastry is cut into discrete pastry blanks, provided with edible filling,folded at its corners, and lifted for removal from the machine.
 2. The pastry machine of claim 1 wherein said spaced-apart reciprocator bar means comprise in substantial sequence A molding-cutting reciprocator means; an edible filling depositing reciprocator means; a pastry corner folding reciprocator means; a tamping reciprocator means ; a lifter reciprocator means and re-set of lifter reciprocator means.
 3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said molding-cutting reciprocator means consist substantially of a pair of reciprocator bars disposed on opposed sides of said frame and cam actuated from the axle of a suitable gear; box means secured to the top of said bars and having transverse rows of cavity molding hemispherical protuberances and having also an air pressure chamber sealed at its under surface with a resilient plastic plate whereby said pastry sheet is molded and pressure cut into discrete pastry blanks.
 4. The machine of claim 2 wherein said cam operated corner folding reciprocator means consists essentially of a pair of grooved cams engaging the opposed ends of an axle of a suitable gear of said gear train; a reciprocator bar disposed on each side of said conveyor and having a fixed cam follower therein engaging a respective cam on said axle; a support plate disposed between said bars and having a plurality of transverse rows of critically located upright push rods fixed thereon for operation through suitable co-acting apertures of a pair of adjacent slats while stationary whereby said push rods engage slidingly spring-loaded folding wings of folding units to produce over-lapped folding of the pastry corners engaged.
 5. The machine of claim 4 comprising plate means fixed to said push rod plate in suitable spaced relationship whereby said plate means lifts simultaneously already folded pastry in the folding operation of said corners.
 6. The machine of claim 5 comprising a transverse re-set plate secured exterior of said chain conveyor adjacent to the bottom ends of said opposing folding unit reciprocator bars,said re-set plate having a plurality of upright suitably disposed pins fixed thereto and adapted to engage the lifted lifter plates to re-set them simultaneously with the operation of said folding-lifter unit. 